ESDSINF002 EARTH SCIENCE DATA SYSTEMS STANDARDS PROCESS GROUP CATEGORY

ESDSINF002 EARTH SCIENCE DATA SYSTEMS STANDARDS PROCESS GROUP CATEGORY






Technical Note Template

ESDS-INF-002 Earth Science Data Systems Standards Process Group

Category: Informal Note October 2008

Updates: n/a Technical Note Template

Technical Note Template

Status of this RFC

This RFC provides information to the NASA Earth Science community. This RFC does not specify an Earth Science Data Systems (ESDS) standard. Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Change Explanation

This document is not a revision to an earlier version.

Copyright Notice

Copyright © 2008 United States Government as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.  No copyright is claimed in the United States under Title 17, U.S. Code. All Other Rights Reserved.

Abstract

This document provides a simplified template for Earth Science Data Systems Technical Notes.

1Introduction

ESDS-RFC-003 Instructions to Authors [1] describes the required format and content of an RFC (Request for Comments). The Technical Note Template in Appendix A is a distillation of the information in ESDS-RFC-003 and provides a template meant to simplify the task of creating an RFC that is a Technical Note.

2Technical Note Structure

A Technical Note can be structured in two ways:

1. It can be a standalone document, i.e. the content of the technical note is the material the authors wish to convey (for example, this document is self-contained – it describes and contains a template), or

2. It can refer to a different document, i.e. the technical note is a "wrapper" for some externally available material (for example, a technical note can describe the benefit of using a standard that was created by a standards body – rather than copying all the material into the technical note, the note refers to that material).

The main difference between the two kinds is that what is labeled the "Body" in the template below either contains information or refers to it. In either case, the other sections of the technical note serve to provide unambiguous statements regarding the origin of the material, the copyright, the revision status, and most importantly, the motivation for the existence of the technical note itself. The importance of the Introduction is not to be understated. A good introduction provides readers (particularly reviewers) with a reason to read the rest of the material.



3Lessons Learned for Authors

The purpose of the Introduction section is to clearly articulate why the rest of the material in the technical note is of importance to the readers and reviewers. RFCs that are submitted with weak introductory material are generally returned to the authors for more information. The introduction should be very clear in providing a rationale for the RFC, explaining why it is important. It should also clearly describe the applicability of the RFC (e.g. is it specific to a discipline, relevant to all of NASA, etc.)

4References

[1] ESDS-RFC-003 - Instructions to RFC Authors

5Authors

The members of the Earth Science Data Systems Standards Process Group
Chair: Richard Ullman, NASA GSFC, [email protected]

Appendix A – Glossary

RFC Request for Comments

ESDS Earth Science Data Systems

NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration



Appendix B – Template

The template starts on the next page.



Everything that is to be filled in by the authors is contained in angle brackets < > and there is a short explanation of how to fill in each part.

<title>

Status of this RFC

This RFC provides information to the NASA Earth Science community. This RFC does not specify an Earth Science Data Systems (ESDS) standard. Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Change Explanation

This document is not a revision to an earlier version.

Copyright Notice

<copyright notice. NOTE:

Copyright statement should be one of the following:

  1. If created by a contractor pursuant to NASA contract and rights obtained from creator by assignment:


Copyright © {YEAR} United States Government as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.  All Rights Reserved.


  1. If created by civil servants only:


Copyright © {YEAR} United States Government as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.  No copyright is claimed in the United States under Title 17, U.S. Code. All Other Rights Reserved.

>

Abstract

<abstract – keep it short, 5-10 lines, not more than 20 lines!>

Table of Contents

<table of contents – only required for documents longer than 5 pages>



1Introduction

<introduction – should (a) provide rationale for this document, why is this important? and (b) describe the applicability of this document (e.g. specific to a discipline, relevant to all of NASA, etc.)

Can have sub-sections for clarity.>

2<Body – note that this section can have a different title, and can actually be multiple sections.>

<Put the content of your tech note here. Or, if you are referencing an external document then explain that here.>

3References

<List of references. List normative (i.e. those that are required by the Tech Note) references first, then list informative (those that are used to illustrate or help explain material in the Tech Note) references. If your Tech Note references an external document that contains the actual technical material, then that document's reference MUST be included here (and you don't need any other references here)

Note that if the body contained multiple sections, then the section numbering for the References and Authors should simply follow in order.>

4Authors

<authors – list names and contact info for each primary author. E.g.

Tina Technote
Standards Mill, Inc.
1234 Main St.
Somewhere, VA 12345
[email protected]

>



Appendix A - Glossary

<expansion of acronyms used in the Tech Note. E.g.

ESDS - Earth Science Data Systems

ESE - Earth Science Enterprise

>

<Appendix B – title

If you have other material that needs to be in an appendix, start with Appendix B, and continue with additional appendices as needed.>



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Tags: esdsinf002, standards, process, science, earth, systems, category, group